Organic Vegetarian Restaurant Experience

I have wanted to go to a raw or vegan restaurant for a very long time and finally, I found someone that I knew I could drag along with me, Tina from Carrots ‘n’ Cake! Tina and I are doing a challenge this month with Harvard Pilgrim called the Well Together Challenge. We are encouraging you to try new healthy experiences with us this month. First, we tried Zumba and next on our list was an organic vegetarian restaurant. Honestly, in Boston there were not many options but Life Alive in Cambridge has a cult following so I was exited to go.

The set up is pretty cool. When you walk in, the organic veggies and fruits are displayed out in the open creating a very fresh vibe. You instantly feel healthier walking in the door. You go to the counter to order, get a number and sit down. They bring you your food.

The menu was pretty big and I had a hard time choosing what I wanted. I ended up ordering The Explorer with Avocado and The Jive Alive “Jubilant Juice.” Most of the meals come in 2 sizes, demi or bowl with an option to also make it a wrap.

While waiting for our food to arrive, we noticed the condiment bar. It was stocked with nutritional yeast, liquid aminos and sucanat. Before my meal even came, I knew it was going to be love at first sight.

Quickly, our food arrived and as bloggers, Tina and I proceeded to snap pictures. We sat down upstairs and coincidentally right next to another Boston yoga blogger, Kendall from On An Inhale who I follow but had never met in person! Being a blogger herself, she knows the number one rule dining out with other “healthy living bloggers”: Must take pictures before bites.

We both got the Jive Alive which was delicious and made with cucumber, celery, kale, lemon and ginger. In LA, I tried a few green juices and loved them. This was my first juice on the East Coast and it compared well. One thing about most juice bars in the area is that they ALL have carrot, beet or apple. It’s rare to find a green juice without one of those ingredients. Ginger is also my new obsession, so I was excited about the addition.

When my meal arrived, I was pretty hungry. I was overwhelmed at the giant bowl of veggies in front of me. I felt like I was back in California for a minute.

The bowl description was as follows: “An adventurous blend of our high protein red lentil humus with sesame stix, sun-dried tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet corn, spring greens and a sprinkling of shredded carrots and beets. Our Honey Wasabi Vinaigrette guides the way.” I was nervous I would not feel full when ordering but the size of the bowl cleared up that feeling real quick.

I pretty much ate the whole thing except for some of the sesame stix. I never thought to add them to a salad but loved the addition. I have had a bag for a month from my NatureBox in October and have been adding them to my salads at home since! At the end of the meal, I was completely satisfied, not stuffed and certainly not still hungry. For once, I did not want dessert. This may have been one of the first times ever! Could it be that I was so nutritionally satisfied that I didn’t need a sweet ending?

The next day, I actually went back to Life Alive and had lunch again with two other friends who enjoyed their meals as well. I couldn’t decide on just one bowl so I got two demi sized bowls, The Warrior and The Goddess. I think I may become a regular at this place.

Have you ever been to a vegan or vegetarian restaurant? What did you think? Did you enjoy the taste? Were you satisfied? Live in Boston and have another suggestion?

Social Butterfly:

I’ve only been to a vegan and raw restaurant in Newton called Prana Cafe. It was okay at best… I think the whole raw thing threw me for a loop – everything was served luke warm. I wasn’t really into it. On the other hand, it was a totally different experience – I didn’t have to weed through all the meat options to find the healthiest veg option (I’m a pescatarian, but eat mostly vegetarian). I’m definitely going to try this place out, as I’m always on the look out for the best veg options around! Thanks, S!

I’ve been to a Vegan restaurant here in Hawaii called Simple Joy and it was awesome! It wasn’t the best ambiance but the food was amazing…. I had a Chow Fun entree and it had so many flavors i didn’t even miss the meat!